Portuguese Presence in Asia

The collection of art alluding to the Portuguese presence in Asia incorporates over a thousand artistic and documental objects resulting from an acquisitions strategy carried out by the Fundação Oriente practically ever since its foundation in both national and international art markets. It contains various pieces of exceptional value such as the range of 17th and 18th century Chinese and Japanese folding screens, various examples of highly rare Namban art, a porcelain collection bearing the Companhia das Índias coat of arms or the significant collection dealing with the cultures of the peoples of Timor. There is, as is the case with other museums particularly during their early phases, differing levels of representation according to geographical area: for example, it may be concluded that the sections given over to China, Japan or Timor are highly representative.The collection has been enriched through recourse to loans of specific pieces or even of collections held by other entities, whether public or private, as happened with the important collections of the poet Camilo Pessanha (Chinese art) or the writer and politician Manuel Teixeira Gomes (the decorative arts of China and Japan).